The main competition: With Jose Reyes and Melky Cabrera setting the table in Toronto, Jose Bautista could drive in 150 runs, which might impress even the Sabermetricians. A gawdy RBI total wouldn't be enough to win MVP honors, of course. But a ton of RBIs would look quite impressive when put beside 40 homers, which has become a standard total for Bautista. He was on pace for his third consecutive 40-homer output until a wrist injury curtailed his 2012 season after 92 games. Based on his five-homer spring, Bautista's surgically repaired wrist shouldn't be an issue.

Miguel Cabrera figures to suffer from the same sort of predicament that hurt teammate Justin Verlander last season. Call it a hangover effect. To repeat as a major award winner, you had better put up even better numbers in the ensuing season. That means anything less than another Triple Crown likely will doom Cabrera's chances.

Let’'s start with a disclaimer: The day Weaver agreed to a below-market extension to stay home in Southern California, he became one of my favorites. My admiration only has increased in the year and a half since he landed that five-year, $85 million deal. As starter after starter has signed for millions and millions more, Weaver has yet to mutter a single gripe, at least publicly. So, yes, I would like to see him win a Cy Young.

But this isn't only about my wants. Check Weaver's numbers. Over the past two seasons, he is 38-13 with a 2.59 ERA and a .213 batting average allowed. Only one AL starter has been better, and predicting Verlander to win the Cy Young Award is like picking the Yankees to win the World Series in the late 1990s. A little too obvious.

Weaver will not hurt for support in Anaheim. With the addition of Josh Hamilton, the Angels' lineup is even more loaded and their outfield should cover even more ground. And that bodes well for a fly ball pitcher such as Weaver.

Neither Trout nor Bryce Harper started last season in the majors, but both still managed to enjoy stellar rookie seasons. Look for Myers and Texas Rangers shortstop Jurickson Profar to follow similar routes. Though both have shown they are ready to hit major league pitching, both will start the season in the minors. Myers will be there mostly for financial reasons, Profar because the Rangers have no open position for him.

Myers figures to be called up by the end of April, but Profar could stay stuck in Round Rock for who knows how long. That Myers is expected to arrive first is the No. 1 reason he is my pick over Profar. Reason No. 2 is power. Myers, 22, hit 37 homers in the minors last season, the type of production the Rays could have used in a run for the postseason that came up short.

His team hasn't played a game, but Francona already has taken a sizable lead for this award. How's that? If Francona had turned down president Mark Shapiro and general manager Chris Antonetti last fall, the Indians probably wouldn't have become such big players on the Hot Stove circuit. But with Francona on board, they decided to go for it now and spent big to bring in Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn. They also acquired Mark Reynolds and pitching prospect Trevor Bauer.

After such a talent boost, Francona has a prime opportunity to turn the Tribe into a winner a year after it lost 94 games. As the Oakland Athletics' Bob Melvin proved in 2012, nothing enhances your chances of winning manager of the year honors like a dramatic turnaround. Cleveland is set for one, on the field and in the dugout.